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Stockbridge-Munsee Community Reforestation

Year Planted: 2003Trees Planted: 47,450Location: Wisconsin

The Stockbridge-Munsee Community, a band of Mohican Indians, is located on a reservation in rural Shawano County in northeastern Wisconsin. The Tribe is slowly buying back reservation lands that were lost to private ownership long ago. Most of this land has been intensively farmed for decades. 47,450 mixed hardwood and pine seedlings were planted in 2003 to help reforest 54 acres for this project, while the area to be eventually reforested will be around 900 acres. The change from agricultural use to forest will slowly decrease the currently high nitrate levels in the water, which pose a serious health risk to the community. This project will also reduce water and wind erosion and will improve air quality. The Tribe worked very closely with various agencies, such as the Wisconsin DNR Forestry Department, the University of Wisconsin-Extension's agricultural agent, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Menominee Indian Reservation Forestry Department. These agencies worked directly with the Tribe's Forestry, Environmental and Land Management Departments to complete the reforestation.